


No Time For Goodbye

by SmilingWriter



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-21
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2018-07-22 20:40:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7453225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmilingWriter/pseuds/SmilingWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor shares the news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Time For Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure angst because I found the ending to The Angels Take Manhattan so sad and needed to write about it.

Standing on the front step, hand raised from knocking on the door, the Doctor wished for a return to the good old days. Absurd really, he was a Time Lord, and such a phrase as 'the good old days' shouldn't have any relevance to him. It did though. In the good old days, he'd picked up companions, brought them into the TARDIS, dragged them along on his adventures, and then either returned them to their home and time or left them somewhere of their choosing. 

He didn't get slapped by their mothers, or do the chicken dance with their entire family at their weddings. He didn't even meet their families. 

Brian Williams opened the door, smiling, pleased to see the Doctor. 

He didn't tell their fathers that their children were dead of old age in a foreign country and an earlier time. 

His expression must have been revealing, because Brian's face went ashen. 

"No, they didn't – " the Doctor started instinctively. "Well, yes, they did," he corrected himself. "But it wasn't sudden and I suppose it was probably even peaceful and they were together." 

"Rory? Amy?"

"Both of them, yes. I'm sorry, but they're gone." 

Brian just stared at him for a moment, and the Doctor's hands fluttered helplessly. "In New York. A while ago. Rory was 82 and Amy was 87. They'd had a good life together. It was a fixed point in time, you see. I couldn't change it. I couldn't go back. I would have if I could have."

Maybe he should have let River come with him, but he'd never asked Amy and Rory what they had told Brian about her, and 'by the way, this is my wife, your granddaughter,' seemed like an unnecessary complication. 

"You'd better come in," Brian said, stepping back to allow the Doctor into the house. 

~~~~

Brian stared at his tea cup for a long time after the Doctor had left. Life would never be the same again, and he wasn't sure how to start living again. He believed the Doctor, no matter how absurd the story of Rory and Amy being thrown back in time by angel statues. He'd seen events as crazy and scary. 

Besides, Rory would never have let the Doctor tell his old dad such ridiculousness. 

So it was true. His son and his wife were gone. 

Brian was a practical man, who loved projects and fixing things. He understood the steps in a process. Rory and Amy's house was empty now. He should go over there soon, toss out the milk before it spoiled. Water the plants. 

People would have to be told, but what to tell them? Or should he wait a few days and report them missing? Rory would be expected at the hospital soon. Amy had become a minor celebrity with her modeling career. Their disappearance would become big news. 

No one would believe him if he told the Doctor's story. 

Maybe he shouldn't be quick to dump the milk. There would be an inquiry, an investigation into their disappearance. Suspicion always fell on family and friends, didn't it? He shouldn't look like he had advance knowledge. Rory wouldn't want his old dad hounded by the police. 

But could he pretend to not know what had happened? Could he tell Amy's parents anything less than the truth? 

There was a knock on the door. Feeling numb, Brian went to answer it, surprised to see a middle-aged man in a nice suit. 

"Mr. Williams? Mr. Brian Williams?" 

"Yes, I'm Brian Williams." 

"I'm Thomas Channing, of Channing, Davis and Jackman. We received this package from our New York office and were asked to deliver it to you today. It seems to be have been delayed in being delivered to us." 

Channing handed over a dusty package. Brian took it, freezing at the sight of Rory's neat handwriting on the address. Rory had always said that if he became a doctor, the nurses and pharmacists would be able to read his instructions. "Mr. Williams?" 

"Yes, I'm sorry, is there a fee?" 

"No, but if you could sign?" 

Brian signed the book that Channing held out, thanked him, and shut the door, heading to the kitchen. With a knife, he carefully slit the binding, pulling it away to reveal a photograph album embossed with the New York skyline, and two envelopes, one addressed to him, the other to Amy's parents. His letter also was handwritten by Rory. 

"Dad, I hope this reaches you at the right time. We've planned this for a long time, but we're trusting a Hollywood movie for our inspiration. If the Doctor has already visited, then you know we're trapped in New York. I'm already older than you are, Dad."

Swallowing harshly, Brian dropped the letter. There was more, several pages more, but he wasn't sure he was ready to learn how the kids – and they'd always be the kids – had lived decades without him. Carefully, he opened the album, and on the first page was a picture of Rory and Amy, his beloved son and lovely daughter-in-law, dressed as if ready to attend a costume party. Underneath was written, 'Amy and Rory Williams, first week in New York.' 

Brian put his head in his hands and cried. 

~ the end ~


End file.
